Means of mounting buttons and similar articles



M16, 1945. s. EPPY 2,369,032

MEANS OF MOUNTING BUTTONS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES Filed July 8, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVEN TOR.

BY 1/ j; ATTORNEY Feb, 6, 19456 5. EPPY 2,369,032

MEANS MOUNTING BUTTONS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES Filed July 8,1943 3' Sheets-Sheet 2 I j P, I p

Fig. '3 r Fig. 6'

INVENTOR MW %7 Feb. 6, 1945. EPPY 2,369,032

MEANS OF MOUNTING BUTTONS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES Filed July 8, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 26' W m k r 27/31 7 \z x \1 a2 m w 3/ 34 {m E m: w i1 3 Fig. 7

Ml l W pk" Fig. 8

IN V EN TOR.

Patented Feb. 6, 1945 MEANS MOUNTINGIBUTTONS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES Samuel Eppy, Jamaica, N. Y?

Application July 8; 1943,=Serial' N 0. 493,942

4 Claims:

The-present invention relates to a means of m'ountingbuttons and articles of a similar :nature', which embody a-body-portion and an axially projecting attaching' shank, oncards or other devices; for purposes of display and to facilitate distribution.

In my-co-pen'ding'application-fer Letters 'Patent, SeriaL'No. 456,44'7 filedAugust 26,1942; for Method and means of 'mou'nting' buttons and similar articles, of which this application is'a continuation inpart; I;have pointed out these shortcomings,- economically and otherwise," of priorconventi'onal methods employed in fastening-buttons of thesh'ank type to cards andthe like; the shanks either beingentered through the cards for frictional engagement therewith, or sewnthereto by a continuous thread; looped through the eye of the shank, with the shankdis posed on theface of the card or extending there'- through with the stitching along the basket the card.- All ofthesemethods-involve aplurality of hand operationsan'd do not afford the required security'against accidental separation of the buttons from the cards in handling, as frequently resultsfromthe'breaking of a thread or the distortion' of the'apertures in thecard in which the buttonshank is frictionally'entered for retention.

The present invention is directed tothe same important o-bjectivesas'that of my'aforesaid cpending application; the'primary object of this invention being to provide a simpleand efficient means of rapidly afiixing buttons towards-and other supporting elements of the kind; in 'a'manher that will insure against accidental separation of'th'e'button from the'card: each of 'a 'seriesof buttons grouped on a card being ."individually fastened'thereto; so that," if desiredyone'or more buttons maybe removed; without impairing the security of the fastening of the remainder. Obviously, this is not feasible,"where'continuous 'or so-calle'd' chainstitching'is employed to affix buttons to cards; v p

A further important objecti-of this invention is to provide for fastening buttons of the shank type to the usual imperforat -card'jor' other suitable supporting element,.by mechanically-introducing. a .wire staplethrough the card and the eye of a shank of a button supported above-the cardnandtclinching theiree ends of the staple about the shank to swivelly connect the button to thecarde Another important object of this 'Zinventionfis to provide: a simple and efiicient improvement in the mechanism of a-standard wire 'stitchingv-machine; for attaining the-aforementioned objec ti-vesin a practical and economicalmanner; my improvements being readily incorporated-in new constructions, and being of anature to -permit of their application to-exi'stin'g machines, to effect their conversion at relatively small expense vto gain the aforesaid attendant advantages -of.-in-

creased production and lower manufacturing costs. I

Other objects and advantages flowing from the practicing of my invention will become manifest as the description proceeds.

In the accompanying'drawin'gs;"I have shown certain preferred embodiments of the mamas-1 tening means which may be employed" either in new constructions or in"the conversion of existing wire stitchers for-the practicing'pf'my invention. Changes in details'of the means shown;

to'meet difierent production and operating requirements'; it is understood, maybe made, within the spirit and scopeof this disclosure;-

In the drawings: g

Figure 1 is a fragmentary stitching. 0r staple-forming machine, embodying improvements for attachingbuttons to cards, in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary elevationof the wireforming mechanism oi .the machine showing the position of the associated elements thereof at one stage of movement,

Figur 3 is a fragmentaryendelevation dame associated elements of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a fragmentaryielevationof the wire= forming mechanism of the machine showingthe position of the associated elements thereof. at

in Figure 6, illustrating the position of the clinchr erbar at the limit of its upward travel and the card with button attached,. in the positionin which it is removed fromthe machine-table.

Figure 9 is aview correspondingto Figure 6,

elevation of a wire to designate similar parts in the several views, in I carrying my invention into effect, I use a conventional imperforate button card, to which the buttons are swivelly attached by individual wire staples, in theoperation of a standard type wire stitcher or stapling machine embodying my improvements. Since the construction and mcde of operation of this machine are well known in the art, only so much of the mechanism thereof as is essential to a clear understandingof the nature of my' improvements and the manner in which they function, in the operation of the machine, will be described in detail.

In the wire stitcheror stapling machine shown,

the wire. W is introduced to the mechanism through 'a' suitable guideway and fed by and be tween gripping elements 18a and lllb to stapleforming position'by a mechanism generally indicated at Ii, actuable-by the feed slide l2, At

, the staple-forming position, the wire W is severed by the cooperation of a cutting edge [3 on the bender bar A with the cutting edge M on anvil block 3. The anvil block pivotally supports, as on projecting stud l5, an anvil C which incorporates a transversely extending guideway l6,

through which the free end of the wire is fed prior to the severing step and-in which the wire is held in position for staple formation in conjunction with the head ll of the pivoted lever D, which anvil C and lever-D are maintained in such cooperative wire-holding position by leaf springs 18 and I9 respectively;

The thus supported severed wire is subsequently bent into U-shaped staple conformation U by the movement of the bender bar A in the direction of the arrow of Figure 2, as thev bender bar is moved upwardly by pressure slide E progressively extending head 2! with the base of the formed staple.

In the meantime, the bender bar has reached the extreme limit of its upward movement at the level of the table T and the formed staple U is maintained in position by the cooperation of the head 2| of the driver bar resting against the base of the staple, while the head I! of the pivoted lever D rests between the legs of the staple. At this time, the toggles 22a and 22?), respectively pivotally connected to the pressure slide E and the end of the driver bar, are displaced to a position so that the stub shaft 220, connecting the toggles, is guided along the cam surface 22d of the toggle guide piece G, thereby displacing the driver bar F in an upward movement relative to the bender bar and against the base of the staple, until the, staple is pushed substantially to the level of the table T. As the driver bar F moves upwardly, the inner surface thereof presses against the head I! of the.pivoted lever D, to urge the lever rearwardly against its spring l8,

thus-displacing the head out of holding position with respect t the legs of the staple. At this stage, the staple is now held in position for the cooperative action of the clincher bar, as will be later described.

The functioning of the wire-feeding mechanism, the staple-forming means and the stapleclamping'means occurs in the usual timed relation; the clincher bar K, fixed to the clincher post 23, by the clamp 24, being actuated progressively in relation to the actuation of the bender bar, by

the oscillation of the clincher arm (not shown) in response to the operation of the conventional treadl'e.

For practicing my invention, in lieu of the customary clincher bar, I employ a clincher bar K recessed between the head and attaching ends thereof, to provide for clearance of the head of a button by the' clincher bar, when the button is supported relative thereto, to dispose its shank for fastening to a card positioned beneath the clincher bar. In this fastening or staple-clamping operation, one leg of the staple is projected through the eye or aperture of the shank and bent in the opposite directional movement of the coacting leg of the clincher bar through the shank aperture, the other leg of the staple being shaped and the clinching of the opposite legs being effected externally of the shank, as will become evident.

As herein shown, the clincher bar embodies .the usual attaching end, indicated at 25, engageable by the aforesaid clamp 24 for fixing it to the post 23 for movement therewith. .Preferably integral 35 pvith the attaching end 25 of the clincher bar, is

a laterally offset, vertically dependent arm 26, terminating in a horizontal inwardlydisposed extension 21, forming the head or die end of the clincher bar, in whichthe staple-shaping and clamping surfaces are embodied, as hereinafter explained, the resulting disposition of the head in vertically spaced relation to the attaching end 25 of the clincher bar, affording ample clearance for the performance of the button fastening operation, in the manner hereinafter described.

The die or staple-shaping and clinching surfaces incorporated in the head 2! include the usual laterally spaced surfaces conformed to engage the opposite legs of a staple projected to clinching position in the upwardtravel' of the bender bar A and a connecting web portion 28 for oppositely bending the free ends of the staple legs in the completion of the clinching operation. However, in lieu of the customary laterally spaced guide surfaces, both parallel t the .longitudinal axis of the clincher bar, only one of these surfaces, as indicated at29, is vertically disposed,

the opposite coacting staple-engaging surface, be-

finger 30, the diameter or cross-seqtional area of which will admit of its passage through the eye or aperture of the shank of a button for coacting engagement with a staple piojected therethrough. As will be noted, the head-forming extension?! is of the appropriate configuration and dimensions to provide for the embodiment of the stapleguiding and clinching surfaces therein, with the center line of the web portion 28 in alinement with the vertical axis of the clincher bar for the cooperation of the clincher and the staple-engaging surfaces thereof with the bender bar and the projected staple in the usual manner.

In the performance of a buttonstaplingor fastening operation, a card of the appropriate size and shape, indicated at 3|, is superimposed upon tered in the eye or aperture 32-01? the shank 33- of the button, as shown" in'Flgure-fi, As the clincherbardescends, in response to theactuation of the operating treadle, the button maintained in engagement with the finger 30' descends withit-to' clinching position, one of the legs of the staple, indicated' at34, projected through-the card 3 I in the upward'movementof the bender bar A, entering the eye of the shank for engagement; by the guide surface of said inclined finger 30. The other leg of the staple is engaged outwardly of the end of the shank by the coacting surface 29 of the clincher bar head, the shank, as will be obvious being straddled,

between the aperture and the end thereof, by

As the clincher bar recedes, in its upward 7 stroke, the shank of the button is dislocated from engagement with the finger 30 of the bar and. the card drawn outwardly from beneath the clincher bar, in the direction of the arrow in Figure 8.

In the form of the invention 9, the top of the bender bar A is undercut or recessed, as at A, to provide for operation of the clincher bar with oversize buttons, as at S, that is, buttons in which the radius from the shank to the peripheral edge of the head is such that in the descent of the clincher bar to clinching position, the head of the button will be urged into engagement with the face of the card. Under the pressure of the abutting button, the card 3| is deformable, as at 31a, within the area of the recess A of the bender bar, as clearly shown in Figure 9, so as to maintain the relative positions of the shank aperture and the coacting staple leg and clincher bar finger 30, for the completion of the clinching operation in the manner described with respect to the structure of Figures 1 to 8, inclusive, it being manifest that the clincher bar of Figure '9 corresponds structurally and in its mode of operation to that of the preceding figures.

Referring to Figure 10, a still further modification of the clincher bar is disclosed, wherein the button S may be held in substantially horizontal position. The attaching end 35 of the clincher bar K incorporates a vertically dependent arm 36, terminating in a horizontal inwardly disposed extension 31, forming the head or die end of the- I clincher bar in which the staple-shaping and Obviously, the recessed bender bar may be equally. advantageously used in the performance of stapling operations with buttons of smaller shown in Figure diameterthanthat hereln ishown, in the :manner ofthe embodiment of- -the vinvention of Figures- 1 to 8, inclusive the :recesslng' 'oi'z'the .-upper end ,of the benden bar increasing the utility of a given machine 1 or R mechanism by increasing the number of sizes of buttonswhich may "be fastened :to cards intheoperation thGIEOf-c Where a plurality of buttons are to be grouped upona card, as: each button is fastened in its proper position; and the button released from the clincher bar, the card is shiftedbeneath the bar to provide a new button position, another button beingthen supported inengagement with the clincher bar'for-the succeeding fastening operation; the operations being repeated until all of the buttons of the group have been stapled to the card. i

While I have described my invention as it may i be carried into effect with a particular type of wire stitcher, as herein shown, it will be evident that the means I employ for connecting the buttons to the cards may be employed to equal advantage in the operation of other forms of wire staplingmachines, or-m'ay be incorporated in machines especially designed for the embodiment of my invention therein; also that theclincher bar may be recessed to provide the necessary button clearance in other ways tomeet production and operational requirements,within the spirit and scope of this disclosure.

I claim: Y

1. In a mechanism for stapling a button having an eyed shank to a card comprising means for vertically moving a staple to project the legs thereof throughrthe card, a vertically movable clincher member embodying a downwardlyextending arm laterally offset relative to the vertical axis of the clincher member and an element projecting laterally of said arm to define with 40 this latter a recess intersected by said vertical axis of the clincher member, said element being undercut at the free end thereof to form a terminal finger adapted to be entered into the eye of the shank of a button having its head extending into said recess, said undercut end of the element embodying die surfaces adapted to turn and oppositely guide the legs of the staple toward one another into juxtaposition, and means for actuating said clincher member and said staple -moving means toward one another.

2. In a mechanism for stapling a button having an eyed shank to a card comprising means for vertically moving a staple to roject the legs thereof through the card, a vertically movable clincher member having its lower end shaped to define a recess therein and a terminal laterally projecting element, said element being undercut at the free end thereof to form a finger adapted to be entered into the eye of the shank of a button having its head extending into said recess, said un'dercut end of the element embodying die surfaces adapted to turn and oppositely guide the legs of the staple toward one another into juxtaposition, and means for actuating said clincher member and said staple moving means toward one another.

3. In a mechanism for stapling a button having an eyed shank to'a card comprising means for vertically moving a staple to project the legs thereof through the card, a vertically movable clincher member having its lower end shaped to define a recess intersected by the vertica1 axis of the clincher member and a terminal substantially horizontal laterally projecting element, said element being undercut at the free end thereofto form afinger'adapted to be entered into the eye of the shank of a: button having its head extending into said recess, said undercut; end of the element embodying die surfaces adapted to turn and oppositely guide the legs-of the staple toward one another into juxtaposition, and means for actuating said clincher member and said staple moving. means toward one another.

, 4. Ina mechanism for stapling abutton having an eyed shank to a card comprising means for 10 vertically moving a staple to project'the legs thereof through the card a Vertically movable clincher member embodying a downwardly extending arm laterallyoffset relative to the ver tical arm of the clincher, member and an element 15 projecting laterally of saidarm to define with this latter a recess'intersected by said vertical axis of the clincher member, said element being undercut at the free end thereof to form a downwardly projecting terminal finger angularly ofiset relative to the vertical'axis of the clincher member adapted to be entered into the eye of the shank of a button having its head extending into said recess, said undercut end of the element embodying die surfaces adapted to turn and op-- positely guide the legs of the staple toward one another into juxtaposition, and means for actuating said clincher member and said staple mov- 7 ing means toward one another.

SAMUEL EPPY. V 

